Commuting - Queensboro Bridge Question

Hey, fellow Queens, New York commuters, I've got a question:

I commute over the Queensboro Bridge just about every day. I live in Astoria, work in Manhattan. I've seen signs on the QB bikeway that indicate that the bikeway closes at 10:00.

I've rushed home, or passed on some social activity, many times in fear that I'd be locked out of the bike path. I work in Manhattan all day, and take classes a few nights a week until 9:00. Once in a while I'd like to grab a beer with my classmates or something, but I've got my bike.

Do they really lock up the bikeway at 10:00?

No problem, maybe. I Googled Queensboro Bridge bikeways then selected traffic patterns. While it said there would be intermittant closures of the Ped/bike route it said there would be a shuttle bus for bikes and peds during the 10PM to 5AM closure hours. It gave the pick-up points near each end of the bridge. Check out the web site.

Why would they close it at all?

Im sure someone in the Fixed/Ss forum would have some
good, first-hand info...........

If anything, you can go down to the williamsburg bridge, manhattan bridge, or brooklyn bridge, or just jam onto a train.

I would NOT recommend the Triboro Bridge at night.

He's packing, he'll be fine.

He's packing, he'll be fine.

I did think about the Triboro. Is the Tribor bike path open all night? How is it at night? I've ridden to Randall's Island and the Bronx via the Triboro, but never Manhattan.

The Williamsburd or Manhattan bridges leave me too far from home.

Packing? Nope, nothing but CO2 cartridges.

They close it down at night occasionally because they're doing a lot of work on the bridge and I'm guessing it's the times that they need a big truck or two at once in one area that they close it off, or they're doing major welding in an area that's not shielded off. Just possibilities, not sure of the true reasons.

I haven't ever done the tri-borough, does the bike path for it go to Manhattan directly, or do you have to get off on Randalls, take a path, then hit the Ped. Bridge between Randall's and Manhattan?

You get dumped off on Randall's on the Triborough from every route, and the Manhattan and temporary Queens entrances on Randall's aren't all that well marked. Also, the Queens span is a temporary ped/bike path (technically ped only, but everyone rides anyway) and there are some extra stairs to tackle. One part of the Queens span seems to collect extra debris so keep an eye on the path.

I take it from Astoria to get to cut over to the GWB or to get to the Bronx (some nice riding up north). The Bronx side of the Triborough leads you right to one of the "finer" gentlemen's clubs in the area...